Oral care products or agents are applied in different ways. For example, without limitation, a common technique used for applying tooth whitening products is to cast an impression of a person's teeth and provide a tray of the shape of this impression. A person then only needs to add a whitening composition to the tray and apply the tray to his/her teeth. The tray is left in place for a period of time and then removed. After a few treatments the teeth gradually whiten. Another technique is to use a strip that has a whitening composition on one surface. This strip is applied to a person's teeth and left in place for about 30 minutes. After several applications the teeth are gradually whitened. Yet another technique is to apply a whitening composition to teeth using a small brush. This brush is repeatedly dipped back into the container during the application of the tooth whitening composition to one's teeth. After a few treatments the teeth gradually whiten.
A problem with existing brushing techniques is that saliva in the mouth contains the enzyme catalase. This enzyme will catalize the decomposition of peroxides. The brush can pick up some catalase during the application of some of the whitening product to teeth and transport that catalase back to the bottle. This catalase now in the bottle can degrade the peroxide in the bottle. Another problem with this latter technique is that it does not adapt for use with anhydrous whitening compositions. Here the brush may transport moisture from saliva from the mouth back into the bottle. This will have a negative effect on the whitening composition by potentially decomposing the peroxide active ingredient. In addition, if a person washes the brush each time after use, moisture from the wet bristles can enter the bottle.
While tray-based systems are suitable, many people do not use them due to the fact that they tend to be uncomfortable and/or awkward. Moreover, in order to use a whitening tray, a user must keep the tray and the required components at hand. This not only requires extra storage space in already cramped bathroom cabinets but also requires that the user remember to use the whitening system. Furthermore, these tray-based systems are not conveniently portable for transport and/or travel.
In addition to difficulties in applying some oral care products, storage is sometimes cumbersome and inconvenient for the user. The oral care product must typically be stored separately from oral care tooth cleaning implements such as a toothbrush since the oral care product package and toothbrush heretofore are generally treated as separate and distinct parts of an oral care regimen.
Further difficulties arise in that dispensers may be inadvertently activated to dispense the fluid prior to or after use due to unintentional manipulation of the actuator. This can be especially problematic if the dispenser is coupled to the oral care implement, which must be reused by the user over a period of time.
A more portable, compact and convenient way to store oral care products, and to dispense and apply those oral care products to oral surfaces is desired.